Some image processing apparatuses are a type of installing a main body of the apparatus at a predetermined position for use and others are a type of transporting a compact and light main body of the apparatus to the place where a user wants to use for installation and use. The image processing apparatuses of a type of conveying a main body for use (hereinafter called transportable image processing apparatuses) include a handle for erecting the main body from the installation state where a document loading platen is horizontal for use so as to convey the apparatus. As the main body of such a transportable image processing apparatus is erected, the document loading platen stands straight, so that a document cover pressing a document on the document loading platen will not be fixed. When such a not fixed document cover opens, the document cover may be an obstacle for conveyance or may break during conveyance.
To cope with this, various types of transportable image processing apparatuses have been proposed to fix a document cover to a main body of the apparatus during conveyance (see Patent Document 1).
An image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 1 includes a lock lever attached to a document cover and a latch hook attached to a main body of the apparatus to latch the lock lever. This lock lever is attached rotatably around a fixed shaft. The lock lever has a free end on one side, the free end protruding from between the document cover and the main body when the document cover is closed. As the protruding free end of the lock lever is operated horizontally, a free end on the other side is engaged or disengaged with the latch hook. When the lock lever is latched by the latch hook, the document cover is fixed to the main body, and when the lock lever is disengaged from the latch hook, the document cover is openable/closable with respect to the main body.
In the image forming apparatus of Patent Document 1, the lock lever has to be always operated before conveyance to fix the document cover to the main body. On the other hand, the lock lever has to be always operated before use to let the document cover openable/closeable with respect to the main body. In this way, the image forming apparatus of Patent document 1 requires troublesome operations of the lock lever always before conveyance and use.
In another transportable image forming apparatus, a document cover is fixed to a main body using a magnet catch. Such a transportable image processing apparatus enables opening/closing of the document cover with respect to the main body by a simple operation. In the case of such a transportable image forming apparatus, however, the document cover will easily open by just a touch with an obstacle during conveyance, and so the document cover cannot be securely fixed to the main body.